Before childbirth, you’ll have many people telling you about the complicated challenges women undergo, both before and after pregnancy. From sheer hormonal changes to baby blues, many things are happening inside during and after pregnancy that pregnant women are prepped for. Though, out of all these things, hardly anyone talks about the hit that the digestive system takes after childbirth and how hard that first postpartum poop can be. And pair that with all the hormonal changes that deal with breast milk production, and there’s a lot of stress and anxiety, which can, in turn, lead to a whole other side of digestive disorders, like IBS. Regardless of whether you’ve had a vaginal birth or c-section, most women go through a series of different bowel movement problems that lead up to that first postpartum poop, which include constipation, poop leakage, and reduced bowel function. However, it’s quite normal to experience all…

We’ve all heard postpartum horror stories—hair loss, postpartum infections, difficulty breastfeeding, and the infamous “baby blues.” Among these common challenges include pelvic floor disorders (PFD).  According to a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, almost half of women suffered symptoms of at least one kind of PFD, including bladder, bowel, and sexual dysfunction during and after pregnancy.   There is a lot to learn about childbirth injury, and this article aims to shed light on pelvic floor dysfunction and how women can overcome it.  What Happens to the Pelvic Floor Muscles Postpartum  One of the key pelvic floor muscles, called the levator ani, is responsible for supporting and raising the pelvic floor and maintaining urinary and bowel functions. As a woman goes through pregnancy and delivery, this muscle becomes strained to support the process.  Since the levator ani holds the pelvic organs together, the…

In a survey done by Sleep Junkie, nearly 70 percent of the respondents were getting their recommended 7+ hours of sleep per night just prior to becoming parents. Fast forward to these same people having a baby — and only 10 percent of them were hitting that number of hours. In the first year of parenting, the majority of moms and dads were falling short of sleep by approximately three hours every night. And it’s not just parents of newborns who lose sleep. Everything from kids getting sick to dealing with teenage rebellion can mean sleepless nights for worried moms and dads.  Unavoidably, being a parent entails some sleepless nights. But is losing sleep really one of the sacrifices that parents have to make constantly?  Parenting is challenging enough as it is, and being sleep-deprived can only make it more difficult. To be happy and healthy, kids need happy and…